Safer interventions, faster responses, and new technologies that firefighters can rely on will enable the Czech Army to respond more comprehensively to current and future emergencies, thanks to new Tatra fire trucks, which military firefighting units added to their arsenal last year in two variants, VH and VH+, They will be used at ammunition and air bases, military training areas, as well as at engineering units and the Training Command – Military Academy in Vyškov.

"The new T 815-7 Force CAS 30 S3 vehicles represent a huge step forward, bringing a number of innovations and a fundamental modernization that replaces outdated technology from 1984 to 1989, including equipment that failed to meet NATO international standards and current requirements for effective and safe intervention," " says Staff Sergeant Marcel Knápek, senior specialist at the Logistics Agency.

New CAS units offer a wide range of accessories

The Tatras are equipped with top-of-the-line accessories such as WEBER SMART FORCE rescue tools, MILWAUKEE cordless hand tools with matching batteries, a URAD dosimeter, a DRÄGER multidetector, and a FLIR K65 handheld thermal imaging camera, which firefighters use, for example, to locate fire sources or search for people in smoke, darkness, or other difficult conditions, which can significantly speed up rescue operations and facilitate the demarcation of risk zones for various hazardous substances. Modern communication systems in both analog and digital networks, first aid equipment, including the LIFEPAK 1000 automated external defibrillator, are also an important part of the equipment.

Uniquely for the needs of military firefighting units, the tankers were equipped with a special SOLBERG 3% MILSPEC SFFF foam concentrate for fires involving flammable liquids in accordance with the MIL-SPEC military standard, side tilt and vehicle incline signaling, a bumper-mounted monitor, automated central tire inflation with three modes, and an integrated on-board thermal imaging camera that firefighters can use in environments with limited visibility to locate fires or search for people," describes Major Daniel Šimek, fire protection specialist from the Logistics Section of the Czech Ministry of Defense.

Other equipment includes an integrated rope winch, lighting mast, removable protective metal grilles for the front and side windows, and a system of protective nozzles on the vehicle chassis with an inexhaustible supply of extinguishing agent (800 l), which effectively protects the crew in unexpected situations during high-risk operations, such as aircraft accidents, where spilled fuel may catch fire in the vicinity of the vehicle.  The front approach angle of 35% also contributes to better off-road passability of the tankers.

Another important feature is the temperature control not only of the water and foam tanks, but also of the pump unit, which provides protection against freezing down to -15°C, enabling operations even during long-term deployment in adverse climatic conditions outside the fire station, for example when supporting troops in the field or in foreign operations.

How are Tatras different, and what are they used for?

The VH variant has a larger tank and can hold a total of 9,000 liters of water and 540 liters of foam concentrate, which complies with the standards for these vehicles used by fire departments in the Czech Republic. In contrast, the VH+ variant has a smaller tank, but still meets the technical requirements for CAS for large-volume firefighting (8,000 liters of water and 480 liters of foam concentrate). However, at the expense of volume and weight of the extinguishing agent, it offers extended equipment, which is usually available to first-response CAS.

The CAS with the designation VH+ is therefore designated as the first-response vehicle for VHJ, primarily covering a wide range of interventions involving rescue, the presence of hazardous substances, or possible health hazards. On the other hand, the second-response CAS in the VH variant is primarily intended for large fires in military and industrial buildings and for extinguishing forest fires thanks to the possibility of extending the high-pressure hose reel up to 160 meters. It also has a petrol-powered chainsaw and GOODPRO HR2 FIREFLY B fireproof suits.

First response vehicle VHJ

The Tatra CAS 30 VH+ equipment offers tools for rescuing people from vehicles, aircraft or building debris, namely WEBER S-FORCE hydraulic rescue equipment (cutting tool, spreading tool with chain sling, telescopic spreading tool), MILWAUKEE cordless tools (cut-off saw, chainsaw, reciprocating saw) with the same battery as the WEBER tools, and a RESQTEC cordless positive pressure fan. Also included are WEBER STAB-FAST stabilizing supports, VARSTAB wedge stabilization kit, SAVA SFB-K pneumatic stackable lifting bags, airbag catchers, and more.

For interventions involving hazardous substances, the VH+ variant is equipped with a GUMOTEX folding decontamination shower, DRÄGER CPS 7900 chemical protective suits, a DRÄGER X-AM 2500 multi-detector, a DC-3H-08 intervention radiometer, a FLUX FP 430 EX pump for a wide range of hazardous substances, pneumatic quick plugs, and an ECOTARP ET 05 DECON decontamination and collection tub.

To ensure first aid, the VH+ variant is equipped with a SATURN OXY Comfort oxygen resuscitation device with a pulse oximeter, a Spencer Flash 03 spine board with fixators, a vacuum mattress and a set of EGO Zlín vacuum splints, a Dräger PARAT 5510 extraction mask, and a VP-40 XXL transport sheet.

Conclusion

The differences between the two variants of emergency vehicles stem primarily from their use. Compared to the VH variant, which is designed for large-volume outdoor firefighting, the VH+ variant is equipped with an expanded range of equipment enabling a wide spectrum of interventions at military airports, ammunition depots, and military training areas.